I'm a 41 year old mom....has had mild to moderate acne 4 ever. Used retin a on and off...no great results lately. Proactiv stopped working after 4 years. I think i have been overdoing the cleansing routine and I feel using too many different things and/or changing things all the time can be very damaging to one's results.
Anyway the PCP prescribed Tazorac.........this stuff seems a little scary. Anyone tried this? I don't hear much about here, and YOU GUYS KNOW EVERYTHING! So what's up with this stuff?

I personally had a bad experience with Tazorac. The last time I used it, it itched so much... I also felt a big burning sensation on my face... Needless to say, I washed that stuff off ASAP! My advice to you is donít put too much on your face (pea-size is the key here)! You might want to use it on a few spots and see how your skin reacts to it...

well tazorac made my acne worse for about 5 weeks. Not only did it break it out but since it was red dry and irritated it looked ten times worse. just when i was about to give up on it, all of a sudden my face started to clear up and now most of my pimples are gone and my red marks are fading. Im on my 7th week. I think most people have a bad experience on tazorac and stop before it really starts to work. Ive used it every night and just dealt with the symptoms and now its worth it.

I've been using it for 7 months now and love it. I'm using it in combination with Clindamycin. Initially I experienced peeling skin, but after the acne went away (for me it took about 1 1/2 months) the side effects went away too. I still continue to use it every night all over my trouble areas for preventative purposes.

Thank you, friends who responded. I am glad that some of you were able to stick it out on this stuff and saw positive results. Sadly, all this stuff seems to have an "ugly getting used to" period....why can't there just be something that is gentle but effective? I want to feel good about my skincare....not like i have to burn it all off first. Don't know if I will try this Tazorac...still doing some research. For right now, I am limiting myself to cleansing and moisturizing...something I have not done in a LONG LONG time.......both me and my skin need a rest. Wishing you all clear skin in the mirror tomorrow morning!

I would definitely stick with it if I were you. I was using it last year, for about 3 months and my skin looked much clearer, and more importantly, much smoother, younger-looking. I'm 35, so that was a great benefit. I'm pregnant right now, but plan to use it again after I have my baby. For anyone who doesn't already know this, you are not supposed to use Tazorac during pregnancy since it is related to accutane, which has been linked to serious birth defects. BY the way, I used the Tazorac cream and had not problems with peeling, etc. I did have to be extreemly careful to avoid the sun because my face would turn bright red and irritated if I had any sun exposure. I just wore a visor when i was outside. Good luck!

I had a bad experience with Tazorac. It made my skin peel really bad and made it red and irritated. It was awful! I didn't even want to leave the house. My skin is almost completely clear using Differin gel and minocycline. Good Luck with whatever you choose.

Lanalove,
Congrats on your pregnancy! Yes, I am aware of the seriousness of using Tazorac while pregnant.....thank you. I am glad that you saw good results on it. I think one has ease into using this....just a little initially. Also did you use it on your entire face, or spot treat? I did dab it on last night on trouble spots very very sparingly. I think I need a topical antibitic for daytime use...I did not like benzamycin....way too drying. Thanks again and good luck with your new little one!

I did use it on my entire face, but sparingly. While pregnant, I have been using the Benzamycin paks. I open the pack and squirt out the two gels, but i apply mainly just the clear gel (the erythromycin) because the white gel is BP and way too irritating. Actually, my skin looks quite good, which is amazing because the hormones of pregnancy typically wreak havoc on my skin. I don't really like using topical antibiotics during pregancy but my ob said there was absolutely no concern. Good luck with the tazorac. Oh, and I used the cream, not the gel, just in case that matters.

Julie Lyn,
Update!! My derm just gave me minocycline too! No tazorac, just retin A with it at night. She does not feel the need for a topical antibiotic right now, so we shall see. She would not give me Differin...dont know why. How long have you been on the minocycline? Thanks,
Donna